Much of the UK unready for wide-ranging new data protection laws

Much of the UK still isn’t ready for the huge changes brought by the EU’s new data laws, according to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

The new rules have just got into effect and have wide-ranging impacts on how information about people can be stored and used. But many small companies are not at all ready, despite the threat of significant fines and punishment if they fail to comply.

The new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) give people in the EU new powers to access and control their personal data, as well as giving regulators greater power to levy fines on firms who mishandle data or fail to be transparent in how they collect and use it.

But the national chairman of the FSB Mike Cherry warned many smaller firms were still working on their compliance with the new laws.